Relief valve



A. W. MILLER.

RELIEF VALVE.

APPLICATION FILED MAYI4, 1921 1 423, 1 35. P e d uly 18, 1922.

WITNES SE S INVENTOR BY mam M ATTORNEYS ill llTE TAT- OFFIQE.

ARNOLD W. MILLER, OF ?I'I'TSIBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO 0 HOWARD HOOK, 0F PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA.

RELIEF VALVE.

Application filed May 14,

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ARNOLD W. MILLER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented anew and useful Improvement in Relief Valves, of which the following is a specification.

This inventionrelates to steam heating systems.

More particularly the invention relates to valves for use in the so-called vapor heating systems, that is to say, where the steam is carried at a very low pressure, and

the invention comprises a device for relieving such systems of air and water.

The object of the invention is to provide a relief valve for use with vapor heating systems of a simple construction, that may be easily manufactured, easily repaired, not likely to get out of order, and eflicient to permit the escape of air from the system, or of water, with a minimum escape of steam.

Other uses and advantages of the invention will appear throughout the following specification.

The drawing shows a central vertical cross section through a relief valve embodying this invention.

In the so-called vapor steam heating sys tems, a boiler is used to generate steam, which is circulated through a system of piping and radiators in a building to be heated. The arrangement of piping, etc. is such that a constant supply of the steam or heated vapor, throughout the system, is secured with a very low boiler pressure, the dif ferential being even as low as a few ounces on the two sides of the boiler. In such an apparatus there is a considerable condensation of the steam, with resulting water in the pipes and radiators, which must be allowed to escape, or to return to the boiler, otherwise it will stop the circulation through the radiators. Likewise, it is necessary to allow air to escape from the radiators, so as to secure the proper circulation of heated vapor.

For these purposes various forms of relief valves are provided. A particularly efiicient and novel one is shown in the drawings. g

It comprises a casing 1, having a threaded extension 2, connected by coupling 3 to the end of a pipe 4, which is suitably connected Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 18, 1.922.

1921. Serial No. 469,591.

up to a radiator, as will'be well understood. This joint is of ordinary construction and is not a part of the invention. At the other end of the casing another extension 5 is provided and this is threaded to receive a re movable cap 6. This removable cap gives ready access to the interior of the casing for repairing or removing the valve parts described below.

The lower side of the casing is formed into an extension 7, which is threaded to receive the end of the outlet pipe 8. Ad jacent to this extension 7 the casing is formed into "a cup-shaped portion, which provides a chamber or reservoir 9. In the bottom of this portion of the casing there is a small port closed by a screw 10, by which the reservoir may be drained when desired. On the inside of the casing and depending from the upper wall thereof is a partition" member 11, which extends entirely across the casing in the middle portionof the reservoir 9. The lower edge, marked 12, of this partition is situated at some distance above the bottom of the reservoir 9,so that there is a free passage underneath the lower edge of the partition. Near; its top a small port 18 is provided through the partition. This port is situatediabove the lower sideof a main outlet port formed in the partition or diaphragm walls 14 and 15. A.

valve disc 16 adapted to seat upon the edges of the opening formed in the walls 14L and 15, and to close the port, is suspended by an arm 17, pivoted on a pin 18, which extends through the casing, or through lugs 19, formed in the upper wall thereof. The valve disc 16 is attached to the arm 17 by means of a bolt 30, as illustrated. The pin 18 is to the left of the port closed by valve '16, so that the latter normally closes'the port by gravity. 7

It will be understood that the construction illustrated is capable of considerable variation in actual construction, while still 'securing the objects desired. The operation of this device is as follows:

The member 4: being connected to a re.- diator, receives water, air or steam therefrom, and these pass through the inlet port formed by the extension 2 into the main chamber A formed by the casing 1. Air or steam will pass readily through the port 13 to the farside of the partition 11 to the chamber marked B. When the fluid pressure rises beyond a certain predetermined point it will lift the gate valve formed by the disc 16 and arm 17 from its seat, against the force of gravity tending to keep the valve seated, and fluid will escape into the chamber 0, and then pass out the pipe 8. So long as the pressure of air or steam is not sufficient to raise the valve 16 from its seat, there will be no escape from the radiator of either air or steam.

When water drains from the radiator through the inlet port into the asing 1, it is trapped in the reservoir or basin 9, and is held there until the basin is filled to the level of the lower side of the port controlled by valve 16, The partition 11 extending down into this reservoir forms a steam and air trap, as soon as the water rises to the level of the bottom portion 12 of the partition. Thereafter the vapor can only pass through the small leakage port 13, while any amount of water will pass through the basin 9, under the partition 11, without interfering with the air vent, and without emptying the basin, or permitting anything but a mere leakage of air or steam.

After the water has risen above the top of the reservoir 9, that is to say, above the lower portion of the outlet from the basin,

to the point where its pressure is sufficient ing the valve may be provided up to a certain point.

It will also be plainthat this relief valve normally permits a constant escape of air or steam, through a restricted opening, so that with the small pressure used only a comparatively insignificant amount of steam an escape through the relief valve. 011 the other hand, should any large amount of water be suddenly delivered to the relief valve, it can flow freely through the trap formed by reservoir 9 and partition 11, and

out the comparatively large port controlled by valve 16. And furthermore, while this is going on, the port for escape of air or steam will not be restricted.

I claim:

A relief valve comprising a casing provided with partitions forming three compartments, an inlet compartment having an inlet port near the upper end thereof, an outlet compartment having an inspection opening adjacent its upper end and a di charge port at its lower end, and an intermediate pressure compartment, the partition bet-ween the pressure and outlet compartments being provided with an outlet port, a valve therefor, the partition between the inlet an d pressurecompartments being spaced from the bottom of the casing to provide a water seal and having a reduced aperture adjacent its upper end, the inlet port, the aperture, the outlet port and inspection opening being in substantial alignment and the aperture being disposed above the centers of said inlet and outlet ports.

In testimony whereof, I sign my name.

lV. R. MGCARTHY. 

